Mayor de Blasio threw a bucket of cold water on one of the biggest holiday traditions in New York City — the Times Square ball drop — even though it draws countless cash-spending tourists every year.

“We expect, as per usual, over a million people. I’m not quite sure why a million people want to stand in the freezing cold for long, long periods of time, but they do,” de Blasio said Thursday at a press briefing on security for the annual event. “And we’ll be ready for them,” said de Blasio, noting, “It is a wonderful, celebratory event.”

Despite his feelings about the New Year’s Eve bash, which is expected to draw close to 2 million revelers Saturday night into Sunday, de Blasio will be attending the ball drop after taking the inaugural subway ride on the Second Avenue Subway line.

Twitter users blasted the mayor for his comments on the annual event, which has been a tradition since 1904, when Longacre Square was renamed Times Square. The ball-drop has been around since 1907.

“Why Times Square on NYE? Because it inspires. Because you never forget it. Because once is enough,” user Jean-Pierre Boutros tweeted at de Blasio.

Another Twitter user, using the handle @Rb26015nyc, wrote, “because it’s the best city on earth!! If you don’t know that already, how can you run for reelection???”

User @MAGiamberardino tweeted, “He’s not sure? Perhaps because he’s out of touch with his own city . . . ”

The mayor made the cheeky comment while detailing the intensive security measures the city is taking for the celebration at the Crossroads of the World.

In addition to the deployment of 7,000 officers on Saturday, 65 Sanitation Department trucks filled with sand and 100 NYPD “blocker” vehicles will line the perimeter around the huge gathering, in a new security measure.

Although there is no credible threat to the event, the NYPD is boosting its presence in consideration of deadly terror attacks around the globe, including the truck attacks in Nice and Berlin, which left scores of people dead and injured.

In both terror strikes, the person responsible used a truck to plow through their targets.

“People will be safe this New Year’s Eve because we are there along with our law-enforcement partners,” NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said.

The city’s top cop went on to say that visitors anywhere in the Times Square area should leave their cars at home and opt for public transportation.

“If you do drive, you can expect to see safety and DWI checkpoints in full swing,” O’Neill said. “We’re going to have one of the most well-policed, best-protected events at one of the safest venues in the entire world, given all the assets that we deploy there. And all of this will ensure that New York City has yet another safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration, as we do every year.”

De Blasio noted that the sand trucks — which are being used to prevent vehicles from driving into crowded pedestrian areas — are “critical to our strategic approach this year.”

The NYPD’s Critical Response Command, Strategic Respond Command, elite Emergency Service Unit and Counterterrorism Unit will be out in force Saturday, along with behind-the-scenes security measures.

“This will be a very well-protected event — probably the most protected,” said Chief of Patrol Carlos Gomez.